9 August 2020 : Nineteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time A  :
Divine Office Week 4

Masses

We are now able to celebrate the Mass in our churches and the weekly pattern will be as follows:

Saturday vigil	Caton	6:00 pm	With small congregation
Sunday	Kirkby Lonsdale	9:00 pm	With small congregation
Sunday	Hornby and Zoom	11:00 am	With congregation in the garden
Monday	Hornby and Zoom	9:00 am	With small congregation
Tuesday	Caton	6:00 pm	With small congregation
Wednesday	Kirkby Lonsdale	6:30 pm	With small congregation
Thursday	Zoom only	9:00 am	No congregation
Friday	Hornby and Zoom	9:00 am	With small congregation
Saturday	Zoom only	9:00 am	No congregation

 

Please check the calendar for mass intentions and further details.

We are severely restricting numbers in the church buildings, to ensure social distancing, and everyone will be required to sanitise their hands on entry and to keep the nose and mouth covered whilst in the building. We will also take a contact number for all attendees. These details will be destroyed after 21 days according to data management regulations.

Mass Intentions

If you want Mass said for a particular intention, then email it and we’ll publish the intentions in the calendar.

Your Prayers are asked for:

Lately dead:

Norah Apps.

Those Whose Anniversaries are at this time:

Rosemary Catterall,  Louise Hickey,   Ann Brash,  Pauline Stalford,  Maureen Coakley, Margaret Eaten   Hugh O`Hare, Kevin Gillen.

Thanks to Betty and Sue for keeping the anniversary books and letting us know each week.

The Sick of the Parishes:

Brian Byrne, Sarah Adam, Veronica Law, Dennis Brown, Graham Jubb, Paul Shuttleworth, Keith and Alexa Wightman, Sarah Mason, Kevin Casey, Esther Castle, Chris Broadhurst, Joan Randall, Hazel Waring, Eric and Nina Ireland, Frances McKenzie, Sandie Hardy, Elizabeth Ackerley, Pepe Casanova, Karen Parkinson, Margaret Aspin, Bruce Kay, Colette Calveley, Lucy Ball, Maggie Trimble, Pauline O’Toole, Roberta Whiteside, Alan White, Lynne Griffiths, John McKenzie.

Welcome:

This weekend we are pleased to welcome Rev Michael Hampson and all our friends from St Margaret’s in Hornby who are joining us for Sunday morning Mass in Hornby in the garden at 11am.

Congratulations:

We pray for Timothy Sutton and Gemma Taylor who will be married next Saturday in St Joseph’s. Our prayers and best wishes are with them and their families.

A few reflections on today’s readings:

This mysterious Gospel reading is punctuated by references which, taken together and with the OT as background, point to the presence of God. Jesus goes into the hills; the mountains were the place of God’s dwelling and where He would meet His prophets. There is a storm over the sea and a mighty wind; these were often indications of God’s power. The disciples are full of fear at the presence of Jesus; just as the presence of God filled Moses with fear at the burning bush. Finally, Jesus brings a calm to the sea and the storm; just as God was present to Elijah in the “still, small voice”. The disciples probably do not understand the full import of their words but they recognise in Jesus God truly present. He is indeed Emmanuel.

The disciples are very frightened when they see what they think is a ghost. Jesus calms their fears with the words, “It is I! Do not be afraid.” This last phrase is one which is found many times in the OT spoken by God. The God of power and might is one who cares for His people and watches over them to protect them. Many times we feel helpless in the face of the trials of life. So many things seem out of our control and it is then that we are frightened of what might happen. The ‘storm-tossed boat’ has often been used as an image of this helplessness. The other words used by Jesus here: “It is I”, are seen as a reference to the holy name of God given to Moses at the burning bush (Ex3). It is in the name of Jesus, who is God-with-us, that we find courage in our fear and hope in our helplessness.

In response to a single word from Jesus: “Come!”, Peter walks out upon the water. It is an act of faith beyond anything we could do yet Peter is described as a “man of little faith”. We are so slow to answer Christ’s call of “Come follow me”. But even though we are so slow to follow, even though we are people of even less faith than Peter, we must dig deep and have the courage to believe that in our most dire need our cry for help will be heard. In these times we can use the same words as did Peter: “Lord, save me!” Christ will always reach down to hold us.

My last Masses in the parishes will be next weekend.

After the services on Sunday 16 August I will depart. I do not have the words to express how much I will miss you, nor how much I am indebted to you for your kindness, friendship and support. I am sure you will make Fr Michael Docherty very welcome, as you did me.

 

God bless, stay safe, stay well.